Countershaft type power shifting transmissions are finding increasing usage in passenger vehicles. A majority of the transmissions have a synchronizer type clutch to establish the forward and reverse drive paths. Other of these types of transmissions utilize fluid operated friction clutches to establish the forward and reverse drive paths. The synchronizer type forward and reverse mechanisms also utilize a fluid operated clutch. However, the particular gear path to be utilized is determined by the synchronizer.
The lowest or first forward gear ratio drive path generally includes a one-way device which permits untimed upshifting from the first or lowest ratio to the second ratio. The prior art transmissions use distinct gear paths from the input shaft to a common output shaft and a separate idler gear axis in the reverse path.